A Springtime Memory
by Lady Sable
Summary: When a powerful new demon crosses into their territory, only two wolves are strong enough to take care of the threat. Kouga and Ayame pairing.


**A Springtime Memory**

_Disclaimer: I do not own **Inuyasha**. I wish...cause then I'd have Sesshoumaru all to myself...and then all my dreams would come true! (Drowns in own drool.)_

_AN: Woah, I'm in the Inuyasha fandom! Crazy…but it kind of makes sense, since this isan old story, and a couple of years ago I was obsessed with Inuyasha. _

_I actually just rediscovered this fic I created a couple years ago. (And I still kind of likeit…) So I figured I'd bring it out and do some heavy editing and post it, since I still like the pairing as well. _

_It's…(dramatic music) …a het. couple! (Cue fainting spell among the masses.) _

_Yes, Kouga and Ayame had my blood racing a few years ago, so this is what I churned out back then. _

_(Only now…it's been…fixed.)_

…

…_You can tell it's old because there's no graphically described lovin'…instead it's a sickly-sweet mass of action-tinted waff! Icky! XD LOL! _

_Hmm…There's also a huge decline in the expletive department…I wonder why?_

* * *

**XXX**

_The large youkai looked up into the sky, marveling at its beauty. She looked upon the different constellations and the gem of the sky…the moon. The sky was so much more beautiful in the springtime…_

_The youkai blinked her eyes a few times, looking more intently upon the sphere in the sky. Was she mistaken? No…the moon was indeed a dark shade of crimson, acting almost like a signal to her. She took in a large breath of clean, fresh air and exhaled, her breath being emitted like smoke. It was this time of the year that she always ventured out from her cave…now was the time that she began her search. _

_She yawned and stretched, her well-used bones cracking after several months of being in dormant sleep. She swayed her tail and shoulders about, working out all the kinks in her tired muscles. The she-demon began to walk up towards the mountainside, carrying herself with elegant dignity. She sniffed the air, catching the scent of a few wolf youkai. She smiled inwardly and proceeded to lumber up the mountainside, slowly fading away in the night…_

XXX 

It had finally come. The bittersweet passage of cold, harsh winter, to soft, refreshing springtime. The time when everything became new again…a time for new beginnings.

The day was a beautiful one, the sun dawning on the perfect gracefulness of undisturbed land. Flowers and grass slightly shimmered from the sunlight, still being sprinkled with dew from the previous night. A large brook babbled loudly, breaking the silence with it's crystal water flowing rapidly down a length of rocks to form a waterfall.

A young girl sat by the edge of the brook on a small boulder, letting her feet dangle in the rushing water. She had long, reddish-brown hair, pulled up into two ponytails. On one side, an iris was thrust through the thick, bunched-up hair. She had bright, jade green eyes that matched her surroundings. She wore a heavy, red and black chestplate, and several animal pelts in various places, making herself decent.

She was enjoying the morning like many other creatures were doing. Leaning back with her arms supporting her, she stared into the depthless clear-blue sky. There wasn't a single cloud in sight, and the sun shone clearly and brightly down upon the land.

The morning seemed perfect, but a feeling of foreboding was heavy in the air, and a soft smell of smoke and ash was ever present.

The girl yawned and pulled her feet from the water. Jumping down from the rock, she slowly walked towards her den. A long, deep, alarmed howl came from the direction she was heading for. Her pack was probably wondering where she was. The Wolf Princess rolled her shoulders in a lazy, uncaring shrug.

'_Let them worry. I'm fine all by myself. I'm no longer a child.' _

Ever since her childhood her uncle and grandfather had prodded her to find someone. Someone who could protect her and love her…her Prince. But there was only one person she wanted her prince to be. A certain wolf youkai named Kouga.

...A long time ago he had made a promise to her and she refused to forget it. It was a very special promise, on a very special night.

Kouga had made his proposal on the night of the Moon's Rainbow.

…

The Princess stopped in her tracks and bent down, intrigued by something lying on the ground. It was a katana. "Wait a moment," The girl said aloud, in her rather demanding, powerful feminine voice. "This is Kouga's katana." And this bit of information puzzled the Wolf Princess. Why would Kouga leave any of his possessions to lie on the ground? She picked it up and noticed the broken strap, hanging from the sword's sheath.

Lost in her own barrage of confused thoughts, she didn't hear the hurried footsteps of someone running up behind her.

"Ayame, Mistress!" The sudden outburst made the Princess jump up, startled and wide-eyed.

"Yes, what is it Koto?" Ayame asked, regaining her composure.

"We've been looking for you all morning…where have you been?" The flitty young pack member asked, running a shaking hand through his spiked silver hair.

"I've spent the morning out here, enjoying the sun beside the brook. What do you need me for?"

"Miss Ayame...there's trouble!"

"Trouble? Tell me what it is."

"This morning, a dangerous new youkai crossed into our territory. We've sent out a few pack members to spy, but so far none have come back! We're afraid to send out anyone else."

"Hmm, where is this demon?"

"That's the reason we were so worried about you, Ayame, the youkai is supposedly just down the mountainside from here!"

"What kind of youkai is it? Or does no-one know?"

"We believe it is of a fiery type, but no, no-one is certain. It's most definitely hostile, though, judging by the fact no-one has come back from spying…"

' _A fiery demon…that explains the smell of smoke this morning.'_ Suddenly, a new realization dawned upon her.

"You say this youkai is just down the mountainside?" Her voice was urgent, worried.

"Yes mistress."

'Kouga's katana…maybe he…' 

"I'm going to go see this youkai for myself. If I don't return soon, then tell the elders to get the pack to safety, not to come look for me. Got it?"

"…Yes, mistress Ayame."

"Good, Koto. Go now." The boy ran off, leaving Ayame to herself.

'What if Kouga did drop his sword because that youkai was chasing him? What if…?' 

She shook her head trying to erase that thought from her head. Instead she replaced it with a more determined outlook.

'_I'm coming to find you, Kouga! Please hold on!' _

XXX

The night was a beauty. A gem of the springtime; the perfect time to be out and awake. The night was almost silent, except for the insistent garbling of a small brook. The air was still slightly chilled, from just turning to spring, but was beginning to lose its iciness and warm up.

The moon gazed down rather brightly, illuminating the entire land. It hung overhead silently, watching over the Earth and it's creatures. The moon, usually a shining beacon cutting through the darkness, now had a dark ring of red foreboding wrapped around it, almost as if signaling the future misfortune that would fall upon two certain wolf youkai. For it was a bad omen, to have a crimson shield wrapped about the moon's pure, white surface, marring its beauty.

A young wolf youkai looked up at the moon from his perch on a small boulder, making his waist-length black ponytail tumble over the rock's surface. He brushed a few ebony bangs from his piercing blue eyes, trying to capture the full beauty of the night before him. He took a long, deep breath of the night air, forcing his chest up against the inside of his dark grey chestplate. He wore several animal pelts to cover himself, and a headband of fur to hold his bangs away from his decidedly handsome face.

The wolf slowly turned his face from the sky, and looked into the shimmering blue water. He plunged his hands into the chilled water, and brought up a handful, splashing it on his dark features. He shook off and endured the first few seconds of bitter freezing his face felt from the water and with a deep sigh, he leaned back on his haunches.

Somehow…the spring with its beautiful scent, and the moon with its incredible beauty…reminded him of his past flame Kagome. But then again, that was silly. She and that hanyou-turned human, Inuyasha had gone back to her world to live two years ago.

He hadn't seen her since. And so, alone, he wandered the lands wondering where exactly he belonged.

Eventually though, he had rediscovered his wolf roots. He spent his time with others like him and with his own loosely guided pack. Also he had met up with Ayame's pack on more than one occasion.

Kouga had begun to see more and more of that girl--Ayame. She really wasn't as bad as he had thought and sometimes, she could even be sweet. Nothing like Kagome of course, but she was still a nice girl…yes, his fiancée was a _nice girl_.

Actually, he had just promised that to the girl to make her feel better...that he'd marry her and protect her. For a while he had forgotten, but she returned to him after years of trying to prove herself, trying to make herself into a suitable wife...refusing to let him forget. He shook his head, thinking how confusing their lives were.

…

Kouga was staring intently at the reflective surface of the brook, as though it'd give him the answers to the confusing questions of his life, when he heard it.

_It_ was a loud, long howl, filled with anger and pain. His head shot up, his ears trying to tell from which direction the cry had come from. Another howl came from the same direction, but this one had a sickly, weak sound to it, as if something wet was clogging the howler's windpipe…and then it was abruptly cut-off, as if something had crushed it's throat.

Kouga slid off the rock in an anxious hurry, accidentally catching the katana sheath strapped to his side on a sharp piece of rock. It broke and tumbled off a few feet on the ground. Not even bothering to give it a second glance the wolf demon ran off in the direction of the shrill howls, almost afraid of what he would find there.

XXX

Ayame fell onto the ground with an audible thump. She wiped at the dirt on one cheek with the back of her wrist, and spat at the ground with disgust. She pushed herself up from the ground, and brushed off dirt and grit from her clothing.

'_How stupid can I be…tripping over a stick.' _

She had fallen down the rest of the mountain, from about halfway up. She looked at herself and took a tentative step to see if she was hurt from the fall. At first she thought she was all right, but when she put her weight on her left foot, it gave out from under her and she fell into a defeated heap on the ground. She pulled out her left leg, and slid off the pelt that she had used as a makeshift boot, to examine her ankle.

There was a slight cut, but nothing serious. She felt around it, until her prodding brought on a sharp, blinding pain towards the back of her ankle. She gasped out loud, and gritted her teeth.

It was badly sprained to say the least. Using strips of pelt from her boot she made a bandage. She tied the wrapping against her ankle tightly and slipped her boot back on. She struggled to get herself up and caught herself when she almost fell from another few steps. Pushing the pain from her mind, she focused on where she was going.

Supposedly the large youkai was to be found around here somewhere, but she saw no signs that it had been here at all.

Then after another scan of the area, her eyes widened in surprise.

She hobbled over to a small clearing, that she hadn't noticed at first. Most of the grass had been singed away, and the clean spring air had a dark, burned taint to it. While she looked around, still making her way to the clearing, she accidentally hit her foot against something soft. Looking down, she screamed loud enough to burst eardrums.

Her foot had struck another person. A dead person. A dead pack member.

Ayame's eyes widened in shock and she cried out in horror, her words panicked and fearful. "Ashi! Oh! Ah-Ashi!" Ayame's loyal servant Ashi laid in a pool of his own blood, his throat crushed. He was pushed deep into the ground, as if he had been stepped upon.

As she looked around, she saw three other pack members, all in the same condition. Ayame dropped to her knees. "No! No…Why did this have to happen?" A few tears fell from her eyes. "…I'll avenge you! I-I promise!" She stood up again, turning her back to her fallen comrades, her shoulders shaking unstoppably.

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she limped to the burnt part of the clearing. Ayame leaned down to the still, slightly steaming ground, her jade eyes scanning the burn grass for any sort of clue to the whereabouts of the youkai or her fiancée. Then she saw it.

She didn't think after seeing her dead pack members it could get any worse but...there, discarded at the edge of the burned patch was Kouga's broken headband and chestplate.

Ayame brought a trembling hand to her mouth, covering her quivering lips. Her eyes were wide and she felt tears run down her cheeks again while her breath quickened.

Wherever Kouga was now…he wasn't protected in the least.

XXX

Kouga cursed the night. He cursed the day, and he cursed nature itself. He looked up the mountainside at the innocent little stick he had caused to stand up from his own clumsiness. He rubbed his scuffed knees as he stood up, and shook an angered fist at the stick that seemed to be waving at him from halfway up the mountainside.

He tested out his various limbs to find he wasn't hurt at all from his fall down the side of the mountain. Luckily, no major damage was done, other than a few scratches.

While he was celebrating his victory over his fall down the mountainside, his nose caught a horrid smell; a mix of boiling blood, burnt flesh, and senseless death.

A low growl came from across the clearing and Kouga caught sight of the killer youkai. Kouga wasn't sure how he'd missed the youkai's bulk the first time he swept his eyes around the clearing.

First off, It was a bright red, with blood-colored scales covering its entire body. It was dragon-like in appearance with a long reptilian snout, short stubs for ears, beady amber colored eyes and a small set of wings that poked up from its back. The youkai owned a huge hump of a back, complete with a set of spikes running down its spine. It had large arms, and even larger claws that held a fellow wolf youkai, limp and bloody. A gasp escaped Kouga's lips and then he narrowed his eyes at the youkai.

It would pay for hurting one of his own kind.

By now the sun had risen above the horizon and set a golden hue upon the scenes enfolding on this small corner of earth. The sun warmed the air, and sent small rays of light through the leaves of the trees down upon the dewy petals of flowers below. The sky was completely devoid of any clouds and the trees were undisturbed with the lack of wind. It was as if the whole land was waiting and watching.

The dragon youkai gave a small huff as if laughing at Kouga. It dropped the body of the dead wolf and turned itself to face Kouga.

"Who are you, youkai? Why are you killing my brethren? What gives you the right?" The youkai simply took a few steps toward Kouga, its eyes staring at him lazily. "Tell me!" He cursed a few times, his anger clearly shown on his face.

"Majo." Kouga blinked a few times after hearing the rich, sultry female voice emitted from the dragon's large bulk.

"You've got that right." He glared back at the youkai, his eyes portraying his anger.

"My name, you dense wolf. And I kill because that is what I desire. I do not need a reason. I shall do as I please." Kouga growled loudly and viciously at this comment.

"Shut up, you hag!" Majo laughed long and hard at his outburst.

"Oh, and I suppose you are 'Mister Honor'? Have you never killed before, young one? Because unless you have not, what sort of honor can you have that I do not?" Kouga couldn't think of an answer and Majo wasn't expecting one either. "I simply state the truth, young one. Now let me at my business, I have places to be. I shall not waste my time playing mind games with one who can not even answer a simple question. The game then turns rather one sided, do you agree?"

"…I-I can retain my honor as long as I use my strength for dutiful purposes. I only punish those who deserve it!" The dragon raised a brow at this and leaned her long neck down to him, so that she saw into his eyes.

"Ah! So he speaks. Tell me this, young one: who is to say who deserves punishment? You are but one person. I shall turn around a question you asked me. What gives you the right? Who gives you the right to choose who lives and who does not?" Kouga dropped his head in thought, and Majo simply laughed off his deep thinking. "Hurt your head, young one?"

"…I see their actions and I decide for myself." He looked up, straight into Majo's eyes. "And I have seen your actions and I've made my decision." He narrowed his eyes at her. "And you don't deserve life!" He dove for her, his claws outstretched. Majo stepped back slightly alarmed.

Kouga waited for this hesitation then sank his claws into her exposed neck. Majo screamed and shook off the wolf youkai from her hide. Kouga caught himself and his feet landed on the ground with a heavy thud.

"You wretched wolf! You have not had the last laugh! I shall not give up easily, you shall see!" Kouga grinned, but then as suddenly, he frowned, his eyes narrowing at the empty air before him.

'_Where is she?'_ The large youkai had simply vanished into thin air.

"What the…?" He cursed loudly, looking around wildly for the invisible youkai.

Suddenly he went rigid, as he felt hot, even breath on the back of his neck.

"Like my trick, young one? I bet you do." She laughed, and quickly grabbed him from behind. Kouga let out a surprised bark, as she raked her claws across his skin.

"You are much more fun than they were." She gestured to the slain bodies of his fellow wolves. "Maybe I shall keep you alive for a short while." Kouga struggled in her grasp.

"If you aren't going to kill me right now, while you have me pinned, then let me go so we can have a fair fight!" Kouga seemed desperate. Majo only chuckled.

"Such a dangerous one you are! So very dignified! I think I shall keep you for a short while. You are quite amusing. But as I stated before...dangerous. Let us leave the items that might be a danger to my health." Even with Kouga's struggling; Majo managed to slip off the armored chestplate. "Much better. That way if you displease me, I shall be able to dispose of you easily. Hahaha...a single claw right through the torso..." As she said the last part, she traced a viciously sharp claw across his bare, well-toned muscles. She tossed the chest armor to the side.

Kouga snarled at her angrily and with a well placed swipe of his claws, raked a deep cut down her arm. Majo screamed and backhanded him, slicing her own claw down his face. Kouga screamed out, but with another well placed hit, she silenced him, and his unconscious body slumped over her hand. His sliced headband slowly floated down to the ground, lying next to his armor. Majo turned away with an exasperated sigh, and held the knocked out Kouga tightly in her hand.

"Idiotic wolf." Majo huffed as she walked farther down the mountain, leaving burning footprints wherever she stepped.

XXX

Ayame sat with her feet tucked under her. She had her arms wrapped around her stomach and she was slowly rocking herself back and forth, lightly crying.

_'Oh Kouga…where could you be? I found your only protection, why would you go anywhere without that unless you were knocked out or you were…' _

Ayame looked up at the sky, which over only a short while had covered with clouds. And they were not the puffy white clouds that she sometimes saw pictures in…these were the dark grey ones that always suggested a storm.

Spring storms were normal of course, and most of the time, the Wolf Princess welcomed the rain, but today…she dreaded the thought of walking around looking for Kouga while it was raining.

'…_For whenever it rains…it pours…'_

The sun was hidden behind a wall of thick greyness, giving the once beautiful morning a dismal, dreary feeling. It no longer seemed like spring. It seemed like she was once again in the dark of winter. Once again feeling the coldness of another lonely season.

The Princess pulled herself up and gritted, feeling the bite of pain from her ankle. She needed to go at least try and find Kouga. She could barely smell his scent now, and the rain would only wash away what little she could still sense.

Ayame began to run through the thick screen of fog that had drifted up around the mountainside. As she ran, she could almost hear the grinding of the damaged bone in her ankle. She could definitely feel it.

The girl was so intent on watching in front of her, weaving her way through the thick fog, that she didn't notice the large, deep, impression in front of her. Her bad foot landed in the imprint and she fell down, into a crumpled heap. Ayame cried out in pain, a fiery hot, blinding pain running up her leg. She immediately grabbed her foot, and gasped aloud. Her shoulder began to shake and tears began to well in her eyes yet again.

She waited a few moments, for the pain to recede, before once again standing, slightly off balance from her foot. She looked down, with daggers in her eyes, at what had made her trip. She blinked her eyes in surprise at the imprint. The print had three toes in the front, and a long heel. It reminded her of a bird's foot

"Ah! That must be it…footprints." She followed the footprints, for she was sure they were footsteps of the youkai who killed her fellow pack members.

The light scent of Kouga that clung to the air around the area also supported her theory.

After tracing the prints and scent for what felt like hours to her tired and battered body, a loud rumble echoed throughout the land and a bright flash lit up the sky. Ayame cursed as a few drops of rain began to hit her on the nose.

…But she continued to follow the tracks, although her ankle was pleading for Ayame to give herself a rest.

For a few moments the sky was satisfied with only sprinkling down a few drops of rain, but then, the sky must have been angry, for it let down the worst torrent Ayame had seen in years. She was drenched almost immediately and tried pushing her dark red, soaked bangs from her eyes, but failed and so she gave up and left her hair alone.

Everything felt drained. Ayame couldn't remember how long she'd been walking.

It felt like days…the bones in her ankle were grating together and it seemed as though her whole foot was ablaze. And now, everything was soaked. Ayame wanted to lie down and cry from pain and the heavy feeling of guilt and failure that she was feeling...but then Ayame saw it.

It was a large cave. Funny, she had never noticed it before. Could it be that far from her territory?

There was a steady stream of smoke emitting from the entrance, and the burning footprints ended there. Ayame took a deep breath, before taking her first step into the dark oblivion that was the cave before her.

It was incredibly hot in the cave. Ayame found herself gasping from the lack of moisture in the very dry air. It was like walking into a burning pit of fire. Luckily, since she was so drenched from the rain, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Her steps echoed throughout the cave, and she could hear every move she made. But after walking for a bit, she could also hear other sounds. Voices. Occasional laughter.

But then out of the blue, she heard a high, dry, pain-filled, very unfeminine scream.

Ayame's eyes widened as she gasped in shock. As much as she wanted to deny it, she knew that must have been Kouga. She ran as fast as her wounded ankle allowed her.

XXX

Kouga couldn't breathe. His throat and tongue were parched and he felt as though his eyes were on fire when he opened them. He found himself in a very warm, dry cave, lit by a large fire in the corner that Majo was curled beside.

"Finally, my little pet. You are awake. I have been waiting quite a while for you to return to consciousness." Kouga's pained eyes widened.

"Pet? I am not your pet!" Kouga managed to choke out. "As soon as you get up, we're going to fight!" Majo laughed loudly, clearly showing her amusement.

"Every springtime I find a new little pet." She gestured to a large pile of chained bones in a corner. "My poor little pets do not live long here. When I fall asleep…well, I wake up in the spring and they are no longer alive. I never really though I slept so very long, but…" She rolled her shoulders. "I hope with you, I have found a strong one who can survive a bit longer than a single year."

"Hag! I won't stay and become your jester!" This brought upon more laughter.

"You really do not have much of a choice, my dear. I have chosen you. You belong to me, now. You shall soon become but a memory to those who knew you. You shall be forgotten, and for the time that I am awake, I shall have entertainment." Kouga began to panic. Who would look for him? He had become so distant…except for Ayame…but she...she would never…He had to find a way out himself.

"Witch." He glared at her. Then an idea struck him. "Like the nice wound I gave you? I will only give you more if you keep me here!"

"Hmm…I suppose you would, if you had a chance. That is why I shall discipline you if you ever try to hurt me."

"Discipline?" He hadn't expected that. Majo laughed, deep and richly.

"But of course. How else would I teach my little pet manners?" Before he could say a thing, she grabbed him and started squeezing her clawed hands tightly around his chest, cutting off the air to his lungs. At first he could barely make any sound other than tiny gasps, but with what little wind he had left, he managed a long, shrill scream. Then everything went dark.

XXX

Ayame gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes. The youkai before her was huge. Blood red, large clawed…holding Kouga! Her fiancée was slumped against her claw and Ayame thought the worst.

"What did you do to him?" The dragon youkai looked up from the wolf demon in her hand, to the wolf girl in the doorway.

"What are you doing here, young one?" She asked in a deep, calm voice.

"I asked you what did you do to him!" Ayame's voice portrayed that she was on the verge of tears. "Tell me now! Did you kill him?"

"Why do you care, young one?" The youkai dragon laughed. "And besides, why would I kill my own pet? That is idiocy, girl." Ayame breathed a silent sigh of relief...Kouga was alive...for now. Suddenly the large youkai put her head right in front of Ayame.

"I asked you why you cared, young one." Ayame wasn't sure what to say, so she remained silent. "Is he…? Oh! I see now…That is greatly amusing!" She laughed long and loudly. "Did you come here to save your man?" Despite the danger Ayame was in, her emotions strayed long enough for a dark blush to spread over her cheeks.

"That is hilarious!" Majo shook Kouga, until he opened an eye. "Look, pet, this girl came to save you! Is that not the funniest thing you have ever heard?" The youkai clutched her scaled stomach and laughed hard enough that she dropped Kouga. He fell to the ground and made a resounding thud. He remained motionless.

"**Kouga!**" Ayame ran to his side, forgetting all about her ankle. She almost screamed when she saw him up close. The skin on his torso was badly burned; imprints of the dragon's fingers were evident. He had a long slice down his face and blood covered his head from his eyes down. He had several different wounds on him and the wolf looked...broken.

"He is kind of handsome, I guess. But still not my type. Not even my species!" Loud, deep laughter followed. "Do you understand girl? No, I suppose you would not."

The dragon threw back her head, with what appeared to be a smile on her scaled lips. "I like you, what is your name?"

"…Ayame."

"I'm Majo…How are you, young one?" Ayame looked up and narrowed her eyes.

"Don't be friendly you stupid old dragon! I won't let you live after what you've done to Kouga!" Majo stared down at the Wolf Princess, hatred glinting in her dark amber eyes.

"Insolent little...I was planning on letting you leave alone, Ayame, but now that you have spilt your thoughts, I shall have a little fun, before your death!"

Ayame stood, and tried to hide her pain. "You don't scare me, you're simply filled with hot air! You can't back up your threats!" After giving a death glare to Ayame, Majo raised her head and chuckled.

"You are right about only one thing, young one. I may be full of hot air, but that of course helps me." She turned her head away for a moment and with a powerful breath, breathed upon the fire in the corner, making it leap up twice it's normal size. "But you are wrong about the other thing. I can definitely back up my own threats. I know my limitations and I know when to back out of a battle. Unfortunately for you, girl, you do not. And that shall be the cause of your demise."

Ayame tried not to show her fear. Instead, she summoned her razor leaves, and held three in each hand, between her fingers, standing ready for anything Majo may do.

"You have guts at least, girl. I will give you that. But…determination of that type will not save you. It will simply prolong your death!" Majo hunched over, turning away from Ayame. The Wolf Princess began on the offensive and began to throw the razor sharp leaves at Majo's body. Majo looked up and turned her head, amber eyes blazing. A strange, almost-grin spread upon her flat, reptilian face.

Majo's movements were lightning quick.

Ayame didn't know what hit her until it was much too late.

XXX

Right then, the sky outside completely opened up.

What Ayame had thought to be a torrential downpour, would now seem as a light shower compared to the storm now brewing. But Kouga didn't know this. Kouga was in darkness. He thought he heard someone calling his name...someone who might have cared that he was dying, that he was being held prisoner by this old dragon youkai.

He wished he were outside…in the bright sunlight, breathing in the clean, fresh spring air. Then he heard it _'…Look pet…This girl has come to save you…**Kouga!**…kind of handsome…what is your name…Ayame…_'

**Ayame!**

Kouga awoke from his dreamy reverie. That was Ayame! He opened his eyes and saw her. She was hovering over him, looking up at the old dragon youkai. He tried to speak to her, but no words came out of his parched mouth.

Then Ayame got up and began to mock Majo. He wanted to yell out at her, wanted to pull her down and make her stop, make her leave before she got hurt, but he couldn't find the strength to. He could only watch in horrified silence as Ayame stood up and summoned her razor leaves.

The large youkai doing hunched over, making it appear as though she was starting on the defensive. Ayame began to throw her leaves and a horrible realization came to Kouga…Majo was making a diversion…And Ayame was playing right into her trap.

He tried desperately to yell out, but his voice failed him, barely a squeak above the roaring crackles of the flame in the corner.

At one moment Majo was there, in front of Ayame, then she disappeared. The same trick she had pulled on him.

Majo was then behind his fiancée and lashed out with one clawed hand. Ayame gasped as Majo's long vicious claws dug into her. She screamed out, her tortured voice ringing throughout the cave. Ayame cursed the dragon youkai and sputtered out a garbled line of incoherent insults. Majo raised her head in surprise.

"My, quite a dirty mouth you have for such a young, sweet-looking girl!" Ayame thrashed and dropped from Majo's grip.

"You…lizard!" Ayame's speech was spliced with vicious curses towards the blood red youkai. Majo gave a sharp glare.

"Please, young one, you do not want your last words to be hate-filled ones, do you?"

"Anything to insult you!" Ayame dropped to one knee, despite her confident exterior. "…And they won't be my last..." She whispered with finality.

Ayame held an arm closely to her pierced torso, trying to cease the blood. A few frustrating tears of pain slid down her cheeks. Kouga looked to her as her body quivered with fear and blood dripped through her trembling fingers.

Even with all this pain she was going through, she was still willing to fight for him.

At that moment, Kouga's heart went out to her.

XXX

Ayame had never felt this sort of pain before. The intensity was making her fall to her knees, falling into a fetal position. But deep down inside, something refused to let her quit; something powerful was keeping her from giving up then. Her strained muscles shook involuntarily, weakened. Majo became visible once again in front of her. She sent a cold glance down to Ayame.

"You did not know I could do that, did you, young one? There are many things you must not know…oh how frustrating it must be...to not know what to do when in battle with such a powerful youkai...understandable though. Poor girl, you are in quite over your head."

"Shut up, you egotistical old lizard! I don't care what you think! Just shut up!"

Majo tossed her neck, indignantly. "Insufferable whelp. Fine. Deny the truth all you please. I try to help and this is what I get...tsk tsk." Majo's jaw began to ripple, as she took in a deep breath, ready to blow her fiery-hot blaze at Ayame.

After a faulting moment, Majo breathed her blazing breath all over Ayame's body. The air then filled with the nauseating scent of burning flesh and hair. Ayame screamed as the fiery air covered her, charring her body and singing her skin and hair.

Majo then took a hesitant step backwards, regaining her composure. But that, was what Ayame had been waiting for. What Ayame had suffered for.

The Princess stood up, forcing her burned, battered body to move. She hung her head, her singed bangs falling over her eyes, hiding the tears that pooled in them.

"...Despite what you think, I know my limitations, too. And if I thought I couldn't beat you, I would have backed out long ago. But that's just the thing. I know I can beat you! I have one thing on my side, you don't have!" Majo raised an interested brow.

"And what is that, young one? What could you possibly have, that I lack?"

"Kouga..." Ayame took a shuddering sigh. "A reason to fight with all my heart!" With that, Ayame took to the air. She flipped her body twice as she sailed through the air, before landing heavily on her right foot. She was almost directly under Majo's body.

"What the...?" But Majo never had the chance to get the entire sentence out.

Ayame raised one arm up, her hand spread out, right below the dragon's chest. With a loud howl she slammed her other hand down into the ground, causing a major tremor to rumble throughout the cave. With another painful yell, she summoned a tornado from her quake. The whirling cyclone seemed to shoot almost straight up from Ayame's hand. With a dying scream, it slammed through Majo's chest, cleaving a bloody hole through her torso. Majo couldn't even react to Ayame's onslaught. Her agonizing screech echoed through the entire cave, all her pain expressed in one single action.

Two bodies then fell. Ayame had been thrown clear from her attack and landed with a thump at the far wall. Then came the heavy thud of the huge dragon youkai, limp and unmoving right where she had stood, her bleeding chest staining the ground a dark red.

…

For a while, in the cave no one moved. It was silent, except for the constant crackling and snapping of the fire in the corner. The air felt heavy, thick with pain, death, and sorrow. It felt like the painfully heavy air that always occurs during a particularly vicious storm.

XXX

Everything hurt.

Kouga couldn't remember any other feeling, other than pain. It was all he had felt during the last day. But still...he managed to pull himself up, finally returning to consciousness.

Immediately the smell of smoke and burning skin assaulted his nose. As he made a vicious attempt to cover his sensitive nose...all the events of the past day came rushing back to him.

**Ayame! **

When he had last seen her, she had destroyed the dragon youkai...but in the process, had damaged herself greatly. He struggled to push himself up on his elbows, trying to catch his breath in the dry air. He turned over, landing heavily on his burned chest. It made him cry out loud and his battered body writhed in pain. After a few moments of blinding agony, he took a shaky breath and began to drag his trembling body towards where he believed Ayame laid.

Her body was just as broken as his was. She lay on side, her burnt hair splayed across her face and her eyes shut tightly. Kouga pulled himself up close to her.

"Ayame...Ayame, please answer me...please be alive..." She stirred slightly, and opened an eye hesitantly.

"…Ah...Kouga? You…you're alive…I'm so...glad…" She let a light smile graze her face. "I'm glad I came...in time..." Her eyes closed and she dropped back, limp.

"Ayame? Ayame!" Kouga panicked and rolled her over lightly onto her back. He put his ear to her chest, trying to hear a heartbeat.

It was there. It was faint, but her body refused to fail her quite yet.

'_I need to get you out of here…we need to get some air…and treat our wounds. I must protect **you** now.' _

Taking long, deep breaths, and trying to steady his jumping muscles; Kouga pushed himself up from the ground.

The wolf demon stood on unsteady legs, about to fall over. Teetering on the edge of defeat.

"I won't give up...I'll stay strong for you, Ayame...I need to help you now..."

Kouga bent down, and using what little energy he had left, lifted Ayame onto his back, carrying her towards the entrance of the cave. Like once before.

At first his steps were wobbly, but as he carried her farther and he felt her weak, soft breath on his neck and petite, limp body pressing against him, he found new confidence. He took strengthened steps, holding her close to him.

Kouga almost collapsed when they reached the outside. It wasn't how he remembered it when he first entered the cave. The whole world was soaked. Not to mention it was nighttime.

He slowly sunk to his knees, sinking slightly into the wet ground. He looked up into the clear sky and gasped. Ayame slid off his back, as he looked up and she shook slightly on the cold wet ground. Kouga turned to her, and pulled her onto his lap, murmuring into her ear to wake her. Ayame stirred, then opened her eyes.

"Ayame, are you awake? Please...talk to me…"

"Ah...I'm awake...what is it…?" But Kouga simply gestured to the sky.

"Look Ayame, just...look." Ayame gazed up into the sky, and a similar gasp came from her mouth.

"...I...don't believe it..." Up high in the sky, like all those years before...was a rainbow. It arched across the moon, which has lost its red sheen. It was perfect. Exactly like before.

"...I want to keep my promise Ayame..." Kouga whispered while he tucked a few burned strands of hair behind her ear. Her shocked expression turned up to meet his.

"Do you...really mean it?"

"I do...I really do. You mean...so much to me...I only just realized it…I'm sorry-" But she cut him off, putting a finger to his lips.

"Don't worry about it...I'm just glad you finally did realize it." Kouga looked down into Ayame's eyes.

She was so beautiful.

Amazing.

But she looked…so very sad.

"Ayame...what's wrong?" What could possibly be wrong? He had just told her…

"It's just that...I don't want to remember this day...this way...it was so horrible...how can I ever forget a memory like this? ...That…" She glanced at the cave darkly and her voice was bitter as a few angered tears slid down her cheeks.

"…I can help you…together…we can remember something better…we can remember the night we found each other…"

"Oh, Kouga…"

The two sat in each other's arms. They simply watched the sky. Watched the event that had always bound them together. They found comfort with each other; found salvation from their pain, their actions saying the words they couldn't. They would always remember that night. How the youkai almost destroyed them. How they became each other's saviors.

The promise that would finally be fulfilled.

All their love, in one Springtime Memory.

XXX

Ayame walked down the hill slowly, her significantly shortened, singed hair bouncing about her shoulders. The sun shone down on her from above and her body felt warm and sticky from the hot, humid air of summer.

She took tentative steps, her sore ankle reminding her to be careful. She put most of her weight on her other foot, balanced the wrapped bundle in her arm and slid down the rest of the slope. The walk was long and it pained her ankle, but she told herself to get used to it, as it would be sore for quite a while longer, with more weight being put upon it... She simply gritted her teeth, and continued along her way.

Trying to focus her attention on something else, she looked around to her surrounding. The trees around her were a healthy green, heavy with ripening fruit.

Various bushes were dotted with luscious berries, begging to be picked. Patches of flowers were visible through the foliage, all in rainbow colors. All the rain from the spring had helped the flowers grow strong and healthy.

After limping for what seemed like forever, Ayame saw it.

The Princess hobbled over to the clearing. She looked down at the still singed grass, at the deep impressions made upon the ground. Then she tilted her head up, staring ahead.

Ayame stared into Majo's cave.

It was cold, empty. She felt no heat nor heard any sounds from within. She wasn't sure whether to go inside or not.

Deep in her own thoughts, she was startled when she felt a hand upon her shoulder. Turning her head quickly, she saw it was only Kouga. He was staring into the cave intently, with his piercing blue eyes devoid of any emotion. He looked almost as if he saw something within the cave's depths that she did not.

"Ah…Kouga…? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question…" Ayame looked down at the ground, her cheeks pink. She didn't know why she was back. It had been a few months since Majo's death and everything was fine now.

"I wanted to…pay my respects." She whispered timidly. Kouga's face instantly changed.

"Pay respect! To that witch? Why?"

"So that she doesn't come back as a ghost…she deserves to have flowers upon her grave, also." Ayame put out her hands for him to see. The small bundle she held was a bouquet of yellow flowers. Kouga looked at her, indecision apparent on his face.

…

"All right, come on." After a moment, he relented. "You know…you could have asked me to accompany you...I'd rather you weren't out here all alone…" Ayame simply smiled to herself, as they walked together into the cave.

After placing the flowers beside the mound inside the cave where they had laid Majo to rest, the two returned outside the cave.

"Are you satisfied now?" Kouga raised an eyebrow at his intended. Ayame nodded.

"Yes...may her soul be purified and no longer be an evil presence chained to the site of her death."

Kouga took Ayame's hand, leading her away from the cave. When they were in a quiet secluded place, away from the cave, Kouga turned Ayame to him, looking into her eyes.

"Here, I want you to have this…to replace the one you lost." Ayame gasped when she saw what he held out to her.

It was a beautiful, fully in-bloom Iris. She hadn't seen one as magnificent or stunning as it since the one she originally had thrust through her hair, which had burned up from Majo's flames. Kouga smiled, as he placed the flower behind her ear. Ayame's eyes flooded with tears of unmasked joy.

"Oh Kouga, thank you…it's so beautiful…I don't know what to say." She wrapped her arms around him, placing her cheek to his chest. Kouga placed his arms around her, pulling her closer to him.

And so they held each other, The bright sun shining down on them, two lovers holding onto each other and their memories.

**XXX**

* * *

_AN: WOW! Holy macaroni is this thing sappy! I think I'm going to be sick, to tell you the truth. ;D _

…_Just so ya'll know…this is a really old fic. I wrote it maybe three years ago? _

_It's cheesy and sickeningly sweet, and even with all my revisions, (wow, I really sucked at writing three years ago… X.x;; ) this thing still isn't up to my standards. (Shrugs) _

_But I still kinda like the story…so I'm making everyone else SUFFER by reading it! (Maniacal laughter ensues) _

_Oh yeah…and everyone is impossibly out of character, because I've actually only seen three episodes of Ayame and about four episodes with Kouga in 'em. _

_(Sheepish laughter)_

_So…most of this fic is me BS'ing emotions between the two…because even now I think they're cute. Tee-hee! Ayame is my hero!_

_But anyway…thanks for taking time to read my old, cheesy fic! Love you all!_


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